Boiler-furnace-feeding device.



J. G. CRAWFORD.

BOILER FURNACE FEEDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.2I.1913.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. G. CRAWFORD.

BOILER FURNACE FEEDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JAN-21,1913. 1 169 2412 Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

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I. e. CRAWFORD.

' BOILER FURNACE FEEDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.2I, I913.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

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APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, ms.

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Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

WW W NE J. G. CRAWFORD.

BOILER FURNACE FEEDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JANIZL I913.

Patented Jan. 25', 1916.

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J. G. CRAWFORD.

BOILER FURNACE FEEDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1913.

LEEfiQQQ Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

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UNTTED %TATE% PATENT @FFTQE.

JOHN G. CRAWFORD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO OTIS 1\T. TERRY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOILER-FURNACE-FEEDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 25, 1916.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN G. CRAWFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Furnace-Feeding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a new and improved device for feeding coal to a boiler furnace.

Another object of my invention isto pro,- vide a boiler of the horizontal flue type with means for feeding fuel down through the crown sheet of the fire-box upon the grate thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide automatic means for feeding coal to the fire-box of a horizontal steam boiler so that the finer particles will fall upon the grate at points remote from the flues and the coarser particles will fall upon the grate at points close to the fines.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an automatic or semi-automatic stoker that shall sort the coal as it is fed to the furnace and distribute the difi'erent grades appropriately on different parts of the grate.

A further object of my invention is to provide an automatic or semi-automatic stoker for a railway locomotive.

All these objects and various other objects will be readily appreciated in connection with thefollowing description of one specific embodiment of my invention shownin the accompanying drawings.

For definition of the invention I refer to the appended claims.

In these drawings-Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing my improvement applied to a locomotive tender and engine fire-box. Fig. 1 is taken in part along the section line 1, 1 in Fig. 2. I Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the tender. Fig. 3 is a fragmental vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 3, 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a fragmental vertical section taken on the line 4, 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the engine fire-box, the up er part of the section being taken on the line 5, 5 of Fig. 7. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the engine fire-box and associated apparatus, certain parts being shown in section. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the same taken on the line 7, 7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a vertical. longitudinal section of a detail showmg the top of the elevator and one of the conveyers, the section being taken in part along parallel planes. Fig. 9 is a top plan vlew of the apparatus over the engine firebox. Fig. 10 is a similar view, the parts above the line 10, 10 in Fig. 5 being removed. Fig. 11 is a horizontal section looking down, the section being taken at various heights as will be readily understood. Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a 'conveyer trough.

The locomotive fire-box 15 is of the general type that is well known and the engine tender comprises the water tank 16 with the inclined upper wall 17 sloping downwardly and forwardly and the side walls 18 to form a coal box.

The boiler fire-box has the grate 19, the crown sheet 20, and the outershell 21. Between the crown sheet 20 and the outer shell '21 extend twenty-four vertical tubes 22 beaded at their ends 23 so as to perform the function of stay bolts. Ordinary stay bolts may be used in addition. The tender carr es the transverse shafts 24: and 25, respectively, at the bottom and top of the inclined wall 17. Between these shafts 24:. and 25 there extends a false wall 26 supported on the ribs 27 and the said shafts carry sprocket wheels on which are mounted the chains comprising the alternate links 28 and the transversely extended blocks 29. The lower shaft 24 is connected by sprocket wheels and a sprocket chain 30 to a ratchet wheel 31 which may be rotated by a conveniently placed handle 32.

At the bottom of the tender is a pit 33 across the upper part of which is a horizontal screen 34:. An elevator chute 35 extends obliquely up and forward from the pit 33 and its top end delivers into a spout 38 over the boiler fire-box. Within the elevator chute 35 are elevator buckets 36 driven by the small engine 37. Within the spout 38 is an inclined screen which separates the coarser particles of coal from the finer ones, delivering the coarser particles toward the front and the finer particles toward the rear.

On top of the boiler fire-box on the outside of the boiler is a box 39 within which at the rear is an inverted V-trough 41, on the apex of which the spout 38 delivers. At each side of this inverted V-trough 41 are conveyer troughs, their rear end walls in the drawings.

.each row of discharge openings 45 there extends an inverted Vtrough 49 and extending up from its apex directly under each spout 45 is a wing 50. The'three wings 50 on each side of the device are carried on respective telescoping shafts 51, which may each be rotated through a certain angle by the respective handle 52. On each side of the inverted V-trough 49 is a series of three conveyer troughs 53. Within each such conveyer trough 53 mounted on the common shaft 56 is a pair of conveyer screws 54 and 55 winding in opposite directions, as shown At each end of each trough 53 is a discharge opening 57 that registers with one of the tubes 22 leading into the fire-box. Over each end of each conveyer trough 53 is a pivoted shutter 58 with a respective handle 59 to actuate the same independently.

At one side of the boiler there is mounted a small engine 61 which drives a transverse directed oppositely along the shaft 66.

The coal in the compartment bounded by the side walls 18 is supplied after having been crushed to an appropriate degree of fineness. It settles down the inclined bottom wall 26 upon the screen 34 and most of it goes through this screen into the pit 33. If'at any timethe feeding of the coal upon the screen 34 should become interrupted the fireman can operate the handle 32 and thus make -the chains 28-29 feed the coal down as desired. As the coal delivers into the lower end of the elevator 35 it is carried thence upwardly and delivered upon the screen 60. The coal that delivers from the spout 60, whether fine or coarse, is divided by the apex of the inverted V-trough 41 and goes equally to the two sides. The finer particles drop through the screen 60 upon the section 46 of the conveyer and are delivered thence by this conveyer through the corresponding spout 45. The coarser par ticles of coal slide over the edge of the screen 60 and are delivered upon the intermediate section 47 of the conveyer, which passes them along to its front end.' The finer portions work to the bottom of the trough section 43 and go through thecorresponding discharge opening 45. The coarser particles keeping on the top are delivered into the trough section 44 and advanced therethrough to the corresponding discharge 45. Thus it will be seen that in the two conveyer troughs 424.3'l4 the coal is separated into three grades of fineness and the finest particles are discharged at the rear and the coarsest toward the front.

From each discharge opening 45, of which there are six altogether, the coal can be divided or deflected to the right or the left .by the corresponding upstanding wing 50,

manipulated by the handle 52. In any case it will deliver into one or several of the conveyer troughs 53. The oppositely directed conveyers 54 and 55 within each trough 53 will. divide the coal received thereby and deliver it through the openings 57 whence it will drop down through the tubes 22 into the fire-box. The conveyors on top of the fire-box are driven by the engine 61 through the gearing that hasalready been traced.

It will be seen that the fireman can distribute the coal in the fire-box as appears to be necessary to make it burn properly and evenly. This can be accomplished partly by manipulating the wings 50 and further by opening and closing the shutters 58 by means of the handles 59.

A device made according to my invention is especially adapted to feed fuel of proper degree of fineness to the fire-box, distributing it in the most desirable manner with respect to its different degrees of fineness.

The device is automatic or nearly automatic,

with such opportunity for manual adjustment and control as may be needful.

I-claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a

locomotive tender comprising a water tank with a downwardly and forwardly sloping upper wall, a chain conveyer extending along said wall, and means to actuate said I conveyer to move coal above the same toward the forward end of the tender. v

- 2. In a device of the class described, a locomotive tender comprising a water tank with a downwardly and forwardly sloping 1 upper wall, an endless conveyer extending adjacent the upper surface of said wall, and means to impart a forward movement to the portion of said conveyer adjacent the surface of said wall to move the coal toward the forward end of the tender.

l. In a device of the class described, a locomotive tender comprising a water tank with a downwardly and forwardly sloping upper wall, a pit in front thereof, a screen across said pit, and an elevator sloping upwardly and forwardly from said pit.

5. In a device of the class described, a locomotive tender comprising a water tank with a downwardly and forwardly sloping wall, a false wall spaced slightly above the same, parallel horizontal shafts at the upper and lower ends of said false wall, a conveyer extending around said shafts and around said false wall, and means to actuate said conveyer so as to advance coal upon the false wall downwardly along the same.

6. In a device of the class described, a

locomotive tender comprising a stationary downwardly and forwardly inclined wall, an endless conveyer passing around said wall, and means to drive said conveyor in a direction to move coal from above the same toward the forward end of the tender.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed 

